Picture viewer

ABSTRACT

A picture viewer having a housing to confine a pile of pictures, a slider to be withdrawn and returned to the housing, a viewing window, a pressure plate confronting the window, springs urging the plate toward the window, a retention strip to engage and strip off the picture at the end of the pile upon withdrawal of the slides, a separator strip to retain the pile as the one picture is stripped off, a slidable button on the housing to disable the springs and draw the plate away from the window, and a confining ledge on the slider also drawing the plate away from the window and independently of the slidable button.

The invention relates to a picture viewer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A picture viewer for paper pictures is found in German AuslegeschriftNo. 22 12 135 and for (unexposed) photographic plates in GermanAuslegeschrift No. 224 700 to German Patent Specification No. 179 675.

Such devices are intended to present to an observer (or to a camera) theviewing side or the exposure side of a pile of picture or plates. Afterthe viewing of illumination, the picture just viewed in pushed laterallyaway from the pile and pushed under the pile again on the other side ofthe pile. For this purpose the known devices have, basically, thefollowing co-operating elements:

The pile--in the following reference is made only to a pile of pictures,although the principle applies equally to plates--is located in ahousing having a viewing aperture which may be glazed. One narrow sideof the housing is open, and through the aperture, between limit stops, aslider member may be moved such that when it is pulled out it takes withit by means of a transporter the picture arranged facing the viewingwindow. In this operation the picture concerned is guided over a memberreferred to here and hereinafter as a separator, by which a transversebar is to be understood, which, near to the housing aperture for theslider member, leaves open only at the top and the bottom a slot for thepicture to pass through. The transporter of the slider member, which isconstructed like a hook, therefore takes with it only this one picture,whilst the remainder of the pile lies adjacent to the separator. Duringthe return stroke of the slider member, or as it is re-inserted, thepicture pulled away through the upper slot is pushed back again throughthe lower slot and in so doing goes under the pile. A pressurearrangement using a spring holds the pile and, in particular, theuppermost picture, against the viewing aperture.

In the known devices the entire housing is therefore closed on all sideswith the exception of the viewing aperture--which is designed to besmaller than the pictures--and the separator slots and passages for theslider member already mentioned, so that to insert or remove a pile ofpictures additional measures are necessary.

In the two known constructions mentioned first, the housing base may bedetachable or may be hinged back, and in the last construction mentionedthe housing has a closable insertion aperture on the narrow sideopposite the slider member. In a further known construction according toGerman Patent Specification No. 873 908 (which otherwise belongs to thetype described) not only is one such a lateral aperture provided, but itis arranged that an entire magazine of pictures can be exchanged.

These means for inserting or removing a pile are not only expensive butalso complicated to handle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the task of the invention to provide a device in which the removaland the insertion of a pile is effected by means of the change-overslider member in such a manner that an additional aperture in thehousing and corresponding lid or magazine parts can be dispensed with.

In this solution, the mounting of an additional component is avoided andthe user has no trouble handling the device because the changing ofpictures and the exchange of the pile is effected by means of the sameoperating element and at the same place.

When, as with the previously known devices, the separator is arranged inthe housing and the transporter is arranged on the slider member, adisabling arrangement, which may be externally operated, ensures that,on its operation or in its operative position, the separator is pivotedaway, pulled away, folded up or rendered ineffective in some othermanner, while the slider member takes with it not only one (theuppermost or the bottom-most) picture but all the pictures of the pile,the transporter or an additional element in that case acting on thewhole pile.

With such a construction the change of the pictures is to some extentsimulated as if carried out manually: one picture is removed and placedbeneath the pile. However, the solution of the invention is easier toobtain by a different concept in which the change of pictures iseffected such that the slider member takes with it and re-inserts theentire pile with the exception of one picture which is held in thehousing. The change-over mechanism can then be disabled in a muchsimpler manner to allow the removal of the entire pile than is the casewith the conventional concept, because the disabling affects only thetransporter (which in this case, in fact, is more of a "retainingelement"), whereas the separator takes with it the entire pile withoutfurther engagement.

As a result, the uppermost or the bottom-most picture of the pile isable to remain in the housing. When, as customary, a spring pressurearrangement is provided which presses the pile against the viewingwindow and holds the picture in engagement with the transporter, thenthe disabling can be carried out by rendering the spring pressureineffective and thus also the operative connection between thetransporter and the picture; of course, the transporter can also bedisengaged in a different manner. In this operation the transporter maybe constructed as a hook, which is, however, not suitable when thepictures are thin and not planar, but possibly unforeseeably curved. If,on the other hand, a high friction or retentive covering enablingsurface engagement with the picturess is used as the transporter, forinstance a commercially available plastics material having a surfacemolecular structure to which fairly smooth-surfaced articles clingfirmly without sticking, then such a retentive or adhesive covering maybe provided on the pressure arrangement and together with this candisable the transporter in a single operation. In this case it issufficient to withdraw the retentive covering to a point below thesurface of the bottom-most picture, and in a further development of theinvention the means provided for this purpose may be allowed to actadditionally also, in principle, during every return stroke of theslider member, that is to say, during the picture change operation, sothat the retentive covering does not hinder the reinsertion of the pile.

If, however, the retentive covering lies on the side of the pile turnedaway from the pressure arrangement, then on the widthdrawal of thepressure arrangement a picture still clinging to the retentive coveringfor instance can be pushed off by means of a weak counter-spring or thelike.

The device may be provided with further modifications alternatively orin combination, in order to improve its use.

These modifications include a pliable support at the back face, means tohang the device as a frame, interchangeable additional frames to befastened by some means at the front face and having different shapes andsurface treatments, the biasing of the slider by means of a spring intoits fully opened or fully closed position, the division of the housingwall comprising the window into a multiplicity of windows each onerelated to a pile of pictures, and another one to a pile of text cards,picture and text eventually being disposed on a common informationcarrier. Further, the window wall of the housing may be provided withspaces to permit a user to make notes thereon.

Further, there is the possibility to provide a space within the device,preferably stationary within the housing, to store, e.g., the negativebelonging to the photo negative disposed in the slider. Finally, thedevice may be provided at its front and on its rear face with a windoweach in which case, of course, two different sliders are mounted inparallel.

Further details are defined in the sub-claims and their significancewill become apparent from the following explanation of examples ofembodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a horizontal sectional view as indicated at 1--1 of FIG. 2,

FIGS. 2 to 5 are somewhat diagrammatic longitudinal section views at2--2 of FIG. 1 and in the several views, showing the parts in differentstages of operation.

FIGS. 6 to 9 are section views corresponding to FIGS. 2-5, but with apile of pictures inserted.

FIGS. 10 to 13 are longitudinal section views at the center of thedevice and showing the moving parts in different stages of operation,

FIGS. 14 to 17 are longitudinal section views corresponding to FIGS.10-13 with the pile of pictures inserted,

FIG. 18 is a somewhat diagrammatic cross-section view at 18--18 of FIG.15,

FIG. 19 is a greatly enlarged detail cross-section view on a largerscale than FIG. 18,

FIG. 20 is a detail perspective view, with portions broken away, of thehousing without the slider,

FIGS. 21 to 26 illustrate a second embodiment in which the transporteris arranged on the slider member, the separator is arranged on thehousing and may be moved away for the withdrawal of the pile, whereinFIG. 21-23 are longitudinal section views of the device in differentstages of operation. FIG. 24 is an enlarged detail section view similarto a portion of FIG. 21. FIG. 25 is a somewhat diagrammatic transversesection view and illustrates the pivoting separator in the changeoverposition at the left half of the view and in the withdrawal position atthe right half of the picture; and FIG. 26 is a somewhat diagrammaticlongitudinal section view of a modified form of the invention in whichthe uppermost picture is removed from the housing and for this reasonthe separator is constructed to act reciprocally,

FIGS. 27 and 28 show in plan view and detail section view at 28--28 ofFIG. 27, respectively, a modified embodiment of the pressure device asused instead of the pressure apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 20,

FIGS. 29 to 31 FIGS. 29-29c illustrate the relationship to a shelvingelement, and more specifically, FIG. 29 is a longitudinal section viewshowing major portions of the picture changer in elevation; FIG. 29a isa perspective view of another shelving element; FIG. 29b is alongitudinal section through the shelving element with portions ofpicture viewers broken away and shown in section; FIG. 29c is a sectionview through another form of shelving element, FIGS. 30a, 30b and 31 arelongitudinal sections showing various window arrangements,

FIGS. 32 to 41 are plan, elevation and section views illustrating theportion that is gripped, in several different embodiments,

FIG. 42 is a plan view illustrating a modified means facilitatingoperation of the slider member,

FIGS. 43 to 48 are elevation views illustrating several modifiedvariations of an element holding down a pile of pictures,

FIG. 49 is a detail perspective view of a modified form of onepossibility of constructing the separator of a material other than thematerial of the rest of the slider member and the housing,

FIG. 50 is a detail plan view of a modified form,

FIG. 51 to 52c illustrate certain details useful in the initial assemblyof the slider and housing; FIG. 51 is a perspective view with portionsbroken away for clarity of detail, FIG. 52a is a detail section viewshowing portions of the slider and housing in assembly; FIG. 52b is adetail section view like 52a, but with the elements shown in shiftedposition; FIG. 52c is a detail transverse section view of the apparatusillustrated in FIG. 52a.

DETAILED SPECIFICATION

The housing or frame 100 comprises a base plate 102, side walls 104, aback wall 106 and a lid 108 having a window 110. The slider member 112movably guided between stops which are constructed in the side walls104, consists of base bars 114, side bars 116, one front bar 118 and aseparator bar or pile transporter 120. A pull 122 for pulling andpushing is shaped on the front bar and a holding-down lug 124, likewiseshaped on the front bar, may be recognized.

An individual picture transporter includes a pair of springs 126 biasedby arching upwards, one end of each of the springs being anchored in thehousing base plate 102 while the other end of each spring is able toexecute a restricted sliding movement along the base plate. The springs126 press against the main liimb 130 of a pressure plate 128 and urgethis upwards; as indicated in FIG. 1, the springs 126 are integral withthe pressure plate and the arms of the springs 126 facing the back wall106 are spaced further apart than the arms facing the front bar 118 ofthe slider member.

The two main limbs 130 of the pressure plate 128 are joined together bya cross member 132 on which a central limb 134 is shaped. Finally,auxiliary limbs 136 extend additionally from the cross member 132. Thefunction of these elements will be explained in detail later.

In the base plate 102 there is formed a guide slot 138 parallel to thedirection of movement of the slider member, in which guide a disablingcontrol or button 140 may be moved in a sliding manner. The button 140is pulled towards the back wall 106 as far as a stop (not shown) bymeans of a restoring spring 142 and has a central hole into which thecentral limb 134 of the pressure plate projects in a sliding manner.

Control abutments 144 and 146 are shaped on the lateral bars of theslider member and their function will also be explained later.

On the main limbs 130 of the pressure plate there are finally mounted,e.g. glued, strips 148 of a commercially available plastics materialwhich with only a slight contact pressure exerts an unusually highretentive force.

As will be realized, the pressure plate is intended to hold fast thebottom-most picture of the pile as the slider member is pulled out,while the separator bar takes with it the other pictures. When theslider member is returned, however, the effect of the upward applicationof pressure by the plate must be considerably reduced. The sequence ofoperation will be explained first of all with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5,without the pile inserted.

FIG. 2 shows the initial state. The pressure plate lies under theinfluence of the springs 126 against the window 110 and the lid 108; theseparator bar 120 is located between the pressure plate and the backwall 106. If the slider member 112 is now pulled, then the inclined faceof the separator bar presses on the edges of the main limbs 130 that arefacing it and these move downwards, as the springs 126 yield. The otherend edges of the main limbs are, however, as before, pressed upwards.The control abutment 144 thus dows not strike the control edge 150 ofthe main limb 130, which takes the form of a lateral extension thereof,because it slides away beneath the abutment 144. In the final positionof the slider member (FIG. 4) the separator bar 120 is pressing thefront edges of the main limbs 130 downwards, and because of a rockingmovement the rearmost edges of the same are correspondingly raised. Ifthe slider member is now pushed in again, then the separator bar pressesthe pressure plate further down again, but the lowest position of theplate is now near to the front edges, that is to say, nearest the slidermember. Therefore, the control abutments 144 now engage over the controledges 150 of the pressure plate and hold this down until the slidermember has returned almost to its initial position again where thecontrol elements disengage again and the pressure plate moves rapidlyupwards again (cf. FIGS. 1 and 5).

The actual picture change sequence proceeds as follows (FIGS. 6 to 9):To begin with the pressure plate is loaded with a pile 152 of, forexample, twenty pictures and therefore lies lower down than illustratedin FIG. 2. As the slider member is pulled out, the separator bar takeswith it all the pictures of the pile, since the separator bar "sweeps"over the pressure plate. The bottommost picture 152' however, againstwhich the retentive covering 148 on the main limbs 130 directly pressesfrom below, is held fast by the retentive covering and remains lying onthe pressure plate 128. For the rest, the procedure takes place asdescribed above with reference to FIG. 3. Finally, the slider memberreaches its end position shown in FIG. 8, in which the pictures 152 fallat the front on to the base bars 114 of the slider member while stilllying with their rear edges on the pressure plate. As soon as theseparator bar 120 has slid over the ends of the auxiliary limbs 136 thatare slightly biased in an upward direction, the picture 152' that hasremained behind is pressed upwards a little by these ends at this frontedge, so that when the slider member is re-inserted the rear face of theseparator bar 120 pushes between the pressure plate and this picture152' and raises the picture sufficiently far for it to be broughtupwards over the upper edge of the separator bar. On further movement ofthe slider member its separator bar therefore slides below the picture152' that positions itself in the final position as the uppermostpicture on the pile 152. The insertion of the pile is thereby nothindered by the retentive covering 148 since, as mentioned above, thepressure plate is held down by the control elements 144, 150.

If the entire pile is to be removed, then the button 140 is displacedtowards the front. As apparent from FIGS. 10 to 13, the central limb 134of the pressure plate is downwardly curved so that an S-shape, which isstraight when viewed from above, is produced, the lower end of whichprojects into the button. If the button is displaced out of the positionshown in FIG. 10 into the position shown in FIG. 11, then it presses onthe upper inclined face 154 of the central limb 134 and pulls thecomplete pressure plate 128 down against the force of the springs 126,and in fact pulls down until the upper side of the retentive covering148 is lower than the surface of the base bar 114 of the slider member112. Thus, when the slider member is pulled out, the entire pile 152 istaken with it, as the pile now lies on the slider member itself. As aresult of the biassing of the springs 126 and the friction contact ofthe central limb 134 in the button 140, the button is not pulled back bythe spring 142 which is weak in comparison. However, when the controlabutment 146 strikes with its sloping control face 156 on the controledge 150, the pressure plate is pressed down even further and in thismanner terminates the clamping between the button 140 and the centrallimb 134 so that the button is pulled by the spring 142 into its restposition (FIG. 12). Nevertheless, the control abutment 146 holds thepressure plate below the level of the base bars of the slider member sothat the pile can be pulled out unimpeded to its full extent. Near tothe end of the path of movement the control abutment 146 releases thecontrol edge 150 again; the springs 126 are able to press the pressureplate upwards again at its rear edge whilst at the front it is stillheld down by the separator 120.

From the above explanations the sequence can be followed again withreference to FIGS. 14 to 17 when a complete pile is to be removed; thepositions of the slider member according to FIGS. 14 to 17 are analogousto those of FIGS. 10 to 13.

FIG. 18 shows once again the relative positions of the base bars 114 onthe one hand, and the pressure plate 128 on the other hand when thebutton is in the removal position.

In principle, it would also be possible to return the button into therest position by means of a control member (not shown) simply during thereturn of the slider member. However, it may be seen that in theembodiment illustrated there is the advantage that by holding the buttonfirmly in the removal position, the device can be held permanently readyfor the removal operation, which is significant in conjunction with thestacking frame which is still to be described, or during dispatching ofsensitive pictures.

The operations that are effected by the pressure plate will now besummarised once again.

During picture change-over, the pressure plate is always held straightwith the "line" (transversely to the movement of the slider member)adjacent to the bottom-most picture, where the separator runs over. Thepicture to be retained is consequently clamped reliably where necessary.During the return of the slider member on the other hand the controlelements 144 to 150 hold the pressure plate below the level of the basebars of the slider member (or other support means, e.g. on the baseplate of the housing) so that the retentive covering 148 does not touchthe underside of the pictures.

During the change-over of the pile the pressure plate is brought intothe same position as during the change-over return stroke but by meansof a button that can be actuated separately. This can be heldpermanently in the position in which the pile can be changed, butsprings back automatically without further manipulation into picturechange-over position. It will be seen that in this manner the device isfool-proof.

The pressure plate is so constructed that it also reliably holds fastbadly curved pictures and permits the change-over and removal procedureto take place. In order to deal with such "bent" pictures, however, aseries of further features is provided in order to prevent incorrectoperation.

Pictures that are curved downwards about the transverse axis--at rightangles to the direction of movement of the slider member--could leadduring the picture change to the top-most or a few of the upper picturesnot being pushed backk by the end wall 118 of the slider member butbeing jammed between the end wall of the slider member and the lid ofthe housing. For this reason the holding-down lug 124 is provided,beneath which the pictures can be snapped as they are inserted; furtherpossibilities are discussed below.

Pictures that are curved in a reverse direction would not be able toallow the passage of the separator during the change-over process, butwould push against this. In this case an especially low-frictionmaterial may be used for the separator, and instead of manufacturing thecomplete slider member in one piece in an injection moulding process,the separator can be attached as a separate part.

Pictures that arch downwards about the longitudinal axis couldadmittedly lie laterally on the base bars of the slider member duringthe return stroke of the slider member and in this way remain clear ofthe retentive covering of the pressure plate, but would push centrallyon to the facing edge of the central limbs 132 of the pressure plate.For this reason the relevant edge interrupted by the springs 126 and theauxiliary members 136 is designed to converge to a point, as apparentfrom FIG. 1. A reverse arching of the pictures would not lead to anydisruptions.

Although the pictures must, of course, lie freely in the slider member,disruptions might occur if the pictures were to lie crookedly. For thisreason stop projections 160 and 162 which project from below and fromabove, respectively, are shaped on the back wall 106 and project to suchan extent that they extend into recesses 164 and 166 of the separator120 when this is in its inner end position (FIG. 19). In this positionone projection 160 in each case near to the lateral walls of the housingprojects downwards from the lid thereof towards the interior and furtherinside a projection 162 projects upwards from the base plate towards theinterior. In the direction in which the slider member is pulled out theprojection is aligned with one of the retentive coverings 148, with theresult that the corresponding recess 166 of the separator itself ensuresthat the separator cannot touch the retentive coverings. A furtherrecess 168, which is formed in the slider member from above leaves roomfor the passage of holding-down cams 170 which project downwards fromthe lid and may be more clearly seen in FIG. 20, whilst they have beenomitted from the other Figures in order to keep these clear. Theirfunction is to press down the uppermost picture so far below the upperedge of the separator when the slider member has been inserted as tomake certain that the slider member takes with it the uppermost picture.Similar holding-down cams that extend further down and are likewiseindicated best in FIG. 20 are located near to the front edge of the lid;they have the function of pressing the pile pulled out during thechange-over so far below the level of the lower side of the picture 152'lying on the pressure plate that the sliding movement of the picture152' over the separator is effected as far as possible without anyhindrance. In FIG. 19, the upper sides of the pictures are indicatedbelow the cams 170 and 172 by broken lines 170' and 172'.

Finally, it is also apparent from FIG. 19, in which however, this effecthas been considerably exaggerated, how the picture held fast on theretentive coverings 148 is stressed by the separator 120 and therebyheld so that it clings reliably.

The exact profile of the separator in the transverse direction dependson the type of pictures to be formed into a pile, on the choice ofmaterial and other components. A compromise must be made here betweenthe space requirement occasioned by the necessarily inclined attitude ofthe separator, along which the pressure plate edge must slide at theslider member end, and the firmly held picture must slide at the otherend, and an optimum inclination for these faces. For fairly smoothplastics material an angle of about 45° to 60° has proved successful,although this angle need not be constant, as indicated onlyschematically in FIGS. 2 to 17, but may also vary along the inclinedfaces or may be different from one face to the other.

FIGS. 21 to 26 show an embodiment in which the separator is arranged inthe housing and thus remains in the housing during the picture change ofthe pile.

The housing 301 accommodates the slider member 305. The springarrangement 302 which may be disabled externally by means of a button303 holds the pile against the viewing window 311. As the slider 305 ispulled, the uppermost picture is moved with the transporter on theslider member. The transporter is in this case constructed as aretentive covering 306 which is arranged on the upper long bars 307 ofthe slider member, at the opposite sides thereof.

The separator 304 may be pivoted about an axle 313 which is mounted onribs 310 (see FIG. 25). A pin 308 is located on each side of theseparator. These pins are guided in grooves 309 formed in the sides ofthe slider member and which can be seen to best advantage in FIG. 22.

Only when the uppermost picture is lying completely in the slider memberdo the guide grooves 309 pivot the separator as the pins 308 follow theangle of the guide grooves. On the return stroke of the slider member,the action of the guide grooves is such that the separator is held inthe pivoted state shown in FIG. 22 and only after the slider member hasbeen fully inserted is the separator restored to its original positionby a part of the groove that is first inclined and then extendsvertically upwards. On the return stroke of the slider member, however,the individual picture 312 that was previously uppermost has passeddownwards and is pushed through the gap between the lower front edge313' of the lowermost picture and a portion 314 of the separator.

It will be seen that in this embodiment it is always the underside ofthe picture, that is to say, the side facing away from the viewingwindow 311, that slides over the separator edge, and at any rate duringthe return stroke there is a sliding contact between the upper side ofthe picture and the underside of the last picture to the pile. Thisadvantage is not, of course, present in the embodiment according to FIG.26 in which the bottom-most picture is removed and brought onto the pileagain at the top. Attention is invited to that fact that here, theseparator 304 is "inverted" with respect to the window.

So that the entire pile may be removed, the button 303 is displaced tothe right (FIG. 23) and in so doing presses on the top of an operatingspring 315 connected to the spring arrangement 302. For this reason, inthe position of the button 303 close to the housing aperture thepressure arrangement is disabled. The pictures now lie loosely in thehousing and when, as the slider member is pulled out, the device is heldsomewhat downwardly inclined towards the slider member, the slidermember takes with it the entire pile to the outside. So that the picturecan then be more easily removed, the bars 307 do not quite reach to thefront end of the slider member or they may alternatively be flexible orbe arranged to open up when the slider member is removed.

FIGS. 27 and 28 show in schematic plan and longitudinal section,respectively, an example of the construction of the "pressurearrangement" component which may co-operate with the housing and slidermember component shown in FIGS. 1 to 20 instead of the pressurearrangement construction shown there.

The pressure plate is divided into two pressure plates 220 of the sameconstruction. Each of them carries two retentive coverings 224 which areindicated by crossed hatching. The auxiliary springs 222 arch out of thepressure plates. On its under side, each pressure plate has a guidemeans in the form of an elongate slot 223 (see FIG. 28) in which thefree outer arms of a doubly cranked wire 226 engage. The U-portion 228of the wire can be pressed down by a sliding button 230 and thus rendersthe retentive covering ineffective as explained above, wherein the forceof the pressure springs 232 cut out of the pressure plate and bentdownwards holds the slider member fast until a release cam (not shown)presses the pressure plates still further downwards so that the buttonagain snaps back into its initial position.

It is obvious that a wide variety of other constructions are possible,for example with wire or leaf springs, pawl- or cam-controlledconstructions, constructions that may be pivoted longitudinally ortransversely, expansible or rotatable constructions etc.

Furthermore, the rear side--which, in addition to the button, may alsobe provided with a label for writing on and/or a mounting bracket and/oran eyelet by which the device may be suspended--may carry theinstructions for use and operation of the device, with the result thatthe top face having the window and the four adjoining lateral faces donot show any "technical features" but, on the contrary, do not differ intheir external appearance from a conventional picture frame.

Provision may furthermore be made for a spring to be tensioned (orcompressed) as the slider is pulled out (or pushed in), the spring thencausing the reverse movement to be performed automatically.

Furthermore, especially with the last-mentioned embodiment, a dampingmember to reduce noise during the change-over process may be provided,for instance tongues or the like formed from the plastics material ofwhich the housing and/or slider member are made.

Finally, the device can be manufactured to match different pictureformats, or, alternatively, a single large format can be manufacturedand the surplus residual area can be left empty for annotation or otherpurposes, wherein only the size of the viewing window is varied, etc.

Finally, it should be noted that the picture change can also be effectedby a motor, for instance for advertising-display devices or episcopepicture viewers.

As only one of many conceivable examples, the text below explains how astable photograph library arrangement can be built up from devicesaccording to the invention.

FIG. 29 illustrates one tier of a single or multitiered arrangement inlongitudinal section into which the devices shown in FIGS. 1 to 20 maybe inserted. The housings 100 have in their back walls 106 in each caseone or more holes 190 which are not included in those figures. The tierof the shelf is designed as a case for the housing 100, with a baseplate 192, lid 194, back wall 196 and lateral walls that are not visiblein FIG. 28. Fixing pegs 198 project from the back wall into the interiorin alignment with the holes 190, and the fixing pegs may, as shown inthe drawing, also lock positively in the holes. Since a picture changewould then be pointless because the uppermost picture would not, ofcourse, be visible, a stub 200 arranged on the base plate of the shelfpresses the button 140 into the withdrawal position as the housing 100is inserted and the button also remains in this position so that whenthe slider member is pulled out, the entire pile is always brought outwith it.

The illustration of FIG. 29 is to be understood as schematic. Inpractice, there will be a tendency to combine the individual tierelements or shelving elements to blocks, keys and key groovesrespectively being provided for this purpose on the outer faces thereof.Alternatively, shelving elements may be provided wherein, in addition tothe device-receiving compartments, drawers are provided to receive photonegative strips and/or poor photoprints while the devices themselveshouse the usable photo prints. Such alternative shelving elements areillustrated in FIGS. 29a-29c.

The shelving element shown in FIG. 29a consists of a framework having atop 22, side walls 24 and--not visible in the drawing--a back and abase. The top 22 and the one side wall 24 are provided with projectingribs 26 of dovetail cross section, whereas the other side wall 24 andthe base have grooves shaped in a complementary manner to the ribs; thisenables similar shelving elements to be joined together to form blocks.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 29a, each shelving element has fivecompartments for the insertion of devices 28. The compartments areseparated from one another by lateral ledges 30 that project into theinterior of the shelving elements and are somewhat wider than wouldactually be necessary for accommodating the devices 28, that is to say,they are wider by the width of the front edge sections 32. These edgesections are provided with numbers, in this case from 1 to 5, allocatedto the compartments. Their chief function is to ensure that, in the caseof shelving blocks combined from several shelving elements, eachindividual device 28 can still be gripped laterally and pulled out ofthe shelving element.

There are two drawers 34 and 36 below the five compartments. Theuppermost drawer is intended to accommodate duplicates of prints, rejectpictures and the like, while the lower drawer is intended and designedto accommodate negatives. The drawers are each provided with a releasebutton 38, on the actuation of which the drawer is ejected by a springinto a position allowing the contents to be easily removed. Stops (notshown) limit the extent of the ejection movement; the construction ofsuch drawers is known per se and is applied to tape cassette containersthat are commercially available. In the region of these drawers the edgesections 32, the base and the ledges 30 are each lengthened byprojecting portions 32', 21' and the two ledges are supplemented to formcomplete dividing shelves 30'; the external contours of the frameworksurrounding the drawers and which is formed in this manner is thus flushwith the device 28 slotted in above it into the compartments.

The design of the individual devices is similar to that described abovewith reference to FIGS. 1-20. Each device comprises a frame or a housingpart 60 and a sliding part 62 which may be moved backwards and forwardsrelative to the housing part by means of a pull 64.

The change-over mechanism of the change-over viewer consists of a springarrangement which can be rendered ineffective by means of a controlbutton 66 in the housing base which can be displaced in the direction ofthe movement of the slider member. If the control button is in theposition furthest away from the slider pull 64, when the slider memberis pulled out and pushed in the pictures change, but if the controlbutton is displaced into the position closest to the slider pull, thenthe spring arrangement no longer pushes the pile of pictures towards aviewing aperture in the housing, and as the slider member is pulled outthe pictures do not change, on the contrary, the entire pile of picturesin the slider member is ejected. In the case of photo prints, it may bedesired that these do not lie under spring pressure while being stored,and moreover after the insertion of the device 28 into the shelvingelement, that the housing 60 remains in the compartment when the pull 64is pulled but the slider member conveys the prints outwards. Thiscorresponds to the above-mentioned position of the control button closerto the slider pull and provision is therefore made for a control camprovided in the shelving element to urge the control button positivelyinto this position as the device 28 is being inserted into the shelvingelement compartment; furthermore, it is necessary, or desirable, for thehousing 60 to be locked in the compartment in the fully home position.

Change-over viewers will be manufactured only in sizes for a fewselected formats of photographic prints, of which the formats "A" (9cm×13 cm), "B" (9 cm×11.5 cm) and "C" (9 cm×9 cm) have become acceptedas the standard formats. The shelving elements and devices of theembodiments illustrated are matched to these dimensions. All devicesthus have the same width, corresponding to the measurement of 9 cm, butthe change-over viewers at least will be made in the three differentlengths, corresponding to the formats "A", "B", and "C".

It is furthermore preferred that the shelving elements shall beconstructed to accommodate change-over viewers of all three formats.There are then, in principle, two possibilities:

(1) The depth of the compartments corresponds to the overall length ofthe change-over viewer for the smallest format "C"; the longerchange-over viewers then project forward out of the compartments.

(2) The depth of the compartments corresponds to the overall length ofthe change-over viewer for the largest format "A", and behind theshorter change-over viewers there is an empty space in the compartment.

Since, on the other hand, each viewer must fit into each compartment, isto be locked there to its housing, and its control button is to beoperated by means of the control cam, there is an interaction betweenthe construction of the shelving elements and the construction of thechange-over viewer, as will be explained with reference to FIGS. 29b and29c, respectively.

FIG. 29b is a substantially schematic longitudinal section through ashelving element similar to that shown in FIG. 29a, but here with onlyone drawer 36 and five compartments. In the second compartment from thetop there is inserted a viewer 28a for format "C", and in the fourthcompartment from the top a viewer 28b for format "A". It will be seenthat from the back 23 of the shelving element control cams 68 projectforwards, which cams were struck by the control buttons 66 of theviewers as these were inserted into the compartment, and pushedforwards. The final position of the viewers is thereby determined bysmall stubs 70 projecting inwards laterally from the sides 24, to whichprojections there are allocated complementary recesses 72 in the sidesof the change-over viewer housing. With this construction, the distanceof the control button and the recesses from the front edge of thechange-over viewer housing must therefore be the same for all formats.

The alternative design is illustrated in FIG. 29c in a schematicizedsectional view, an embodiment of a shelving element for accommodatingchange-over viewers of different lengths, in which the depth of thecompartment is matched to the shortest size of the change-over viewer.The compartments 1 to 5 are, as in the case of the embodiment shown inFIGS. 29a and 29b, intended to accommodate change-over viewers, whilebelow them the shelving element has one compartment having projectingportions of framework and a drawer for negatives.

In the second compartment from the top there is inserted a change-overviewer 80 C, and in the fourth compartment from the top a change-overviewer 80 A. The first projects sufficiently far out of the compartmentfor its housing to be gripped at the lateral knurled tabs 52, while thelatter, in accordance with its longer length, projects further out ofthe compartment.

As FIG. 29c shows, in this case the change-over viewer housing can belocked by means of fixing pegs 84 projecting towards the inside from theback wall 82 of the shelving element, and the control buttons 66' are,for all change-over viewers, the same distance from the back wall 86 ofthe housing which is provided with a retaining bore 88 complementary tothe head of the fixing peg 84.

It is to be noted that the control cams 68 shown in FIG. 29b and 29chave the shape of rails with a central groove accommodating the spring142 for control button 140; this detail has not been illustrated inFIGS. 29-29c to simplify the explanation of the shelving elements. Itwill, alternatively, be also possible to design the devices or thepicture viewers without such bias spring 142 for button 140 in whichcase, consequently, the control cams will be simple bars acting onbutton 66.

The injection-molding process for plastics is suitable for manufacturingthe devices, wherein the housing is, for example, in three parts inorder to obtain individual elements that may be easily removed fromtheir molds; the transparent plate covering the viewing window isadvantageously manufactured separately so that rectangular, oval orother shapes can be used as desired. Alternatively, instead of a thick,transparent plate, a transparent foil covering the parts of the framearound the viewing aperture can also be glued on from the inside.

The slider member can be injection-molded in one piece and removed fromits mold without difficulty.

So that when the device is empty the less aesthetic pressure arrangementis covered over, it may be provided with a glued-on paper covering whichexposes only the retentive covering.

The pull on the slider member will not as a general rule be allowed toproject forwardly; on the contrary, a construction will be chosen inwhich it lies flush with a section cut into the end face of the housing.It must be remembered that the housing, measured in draw-out directionof the slider member, is to be dimensioned such that its length is atleast equal to the respective length of the pictures in the pile plustwice the dimension of the separator in the same direction; this mayreadily be derived from FIGS. 1-20. Hence necessarily, the housing mustbe longer than the pictures, but it is desired that at least spacerequired for the slider handle (which in turn is indispensible) beprovided within the confinements of the housing. Moreover, it would beinconvenient to have such or other projections extending beyond thehousing contours.

Designs under consideration of the above-mentioned requirements and ofproblems in connection with manufacture and assembling will now bediscussed.

The following figures relate to such design details.

FIGS. 30a and 30b show the housing 100 by itself in longitudinalsection.

FIG. 30a shows the simplest design while in FIG. 30b the inner edges110' near to the viewing aperture are bent inwards so that around theviewing aperture the picture is held lower down and thus an engagementon all sides is achieved.

FIG. 31 shows the construction of the housing from three componentparts, one bottom part, one top part and an inserted transparent plate400, 401 and 402, respectively, being provided. In this manner the partscan be removed without difficulty from single-impression molds.

In the preceding schematic illustrations, the pull on the slider memberwas an element projecting forwardly. This is aestheticallyunsatisfactory and increases the space requirement.

FIGS. 32 to 41 show more satisfactory solutions. In all these cases thefront end of the slider member is flush with the front end of thehousing and the pull is let into the housing itself. The constructionmay be seen from the plan views of FIGS. 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and 37 andfrom the accompanying cross sections in 32a, 33a, 34a, 35a, 36a and 37a.

In FIG. 35b the embodiment shown in FIGS. 35, 35a is shown again, thistime in perspective, in order to make clear that the pull 240 itself ishollow to ensure thus a uniform wall thickness in all regions of theslider member, as this is more advantageous in injection-moldingengineering. This recess 242, which then appears at the front of theslider member, can be used to accommodate labels 244 for inscription inaccordance with FIGS. 39 to 41.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 37 and 37a, at the top of the pullthere is a short depression 246 for the thumb tip and underneath thegrip there is a longer depression for the remaining finger tips. Insteadof pushing the label carriers into the recess centrally at the front ofthe slider pull, the areas to the right and left of the slider membermay also be designed so that they can be written on.

FIG. 42 shows in plan view recesses 410 near to the ends of the lateralparts of the slider member nearest the pull; these lateral parts enablethe pile of pictures that has been inserted to be gripped at the sidewith two fingers. Alternatively, the pictures may also be pressed frombelow through the slider member aperture towards the outside. In thisprocess the pictures lie against the stop 420 holding down the picturesfrom above (FIG. 43), so that it is advisable, to facilitate operation,to be able to move this hold-down stop aside in some manner or other.This may be effected by means of hinge-back elements (FIG. 44),slide-away parts (FIG. 45), pull-out elements (FIG. 46) or lever-likeparts (FIG. 47); in these figures the arrow indicates in which directionthe movement away occurs. According to FIG. 48, this hold-down stop mayalso be pulled away laterally for a distance over the longitudinal edgesof the picture.

It may be advisable to manufacture the separator from a particularlylow-friction material; however, it would be uneconomical to manufacturethe complete slider member or the complete housing from such a material.FIG. 49 shows how this may be avoided by attaching the separator 430 tothe corresponding lateral limbs of the slider member of the housing 432by means of pins 434.

As shown in FIG. 50, it is possible to manufacture by an injectionmoulding process the top closure lid together with the housing, the lidhaving a pull that is open at the top and has a U-shaped profile. Aftermoulding the joining bars 440 may then be punched through and the pullcan be placed on the inserted and subsequently centered slider member.

FIG. 51 shows at 460 and 462, respectively, tongues shaped on thehousing (see also FIGS. 52a to 52c) which, then the slider member isinserted for the first time over their sloping faces 464, moveresiliently outwards, but when the slider member is pulled out again donot move resiliently outwards because a stop 466 on the slider memberruns against the co-operating vertically extending face 468.

What is claimed is:
 1. A picture viewer for a pile of pictures,comprising enclosure means including a frame defining a viewing windowand a slider reciprocably mounted on the frame, the frame and sliderhaving relative obverse and reverse sliding movements is oppositedirections along the window, the enclosure means also defining a picturecompartment having one end adjacent the window to contain a pile ofpictures with a picture at one end disposed at said one end of thecompartment and adjacent the window,a picture changing mechanismadjacent the picture compartment for removing an individual picture fromone end of the pile and returning the individual picture to the otherend of the pile in response to said relative obverse and reverse slidingmovements of the frame and slider to present a new picture at the windowfor display, said picture changing mechanism including a piletransporter and an individual picture transporter, one of thetransporters being connected with the frame and movable therewith andthe other of the transporters being connected with the slider andmovable therewith, the pile transporter being disposed at one side ofthe compartment to engage one side of the pile of pictures, the picturetransporter being disposed at one end of the compartment to engage suchan individual picture at the corresponding end of the pile of pictures,the transporters producing relative movement of the pile of pictures andof the individual picture during changing of the picture at the window,one of the transporters having controllable means operable betweenalternate functional and non-functional conditions to produce saidrelative movement when rendered functional, and a disabling meansincluding a disabling control movably mounted on the enclosure means atthe exterior thereof, said disabling control having connection with thecontrollable means of said one transporter for rendering said onetransporter non-functional for producing the relative movement inresponse to movement of the disabling control at the exterior of theenclosure means.
 2. The picture viewer according to claim 1 and thecontrollable means of said individual picture transporter includingpressure means on the enclosure means and applying pressure on the pileof pictures toward one end of the compartment, and said disablingcontrol having connection with said pressure means for relieving theapplication of pressure against the pictures in response to movement ofthe disabling control relative to the enclosure means.
 3. The pictureviewer according to claim 2 wherein the pressure means confronts andapplies pressure toward the window to urge the pile of pictures againstthe window, and the disabling control withdrawing the pressure means ina direction away from the window.
 4. The picture viewer according toclaim 2 and the pressure means including a retentive element facing intothe compartment to engage a picture at the end of the pile therein, saidretentive element normally engaging a face of an individual picture inthe pile to strip such picture off the pile during such relative obversesliding movement between frame and slider.
 5. The picture vieweraccording to claim 2 and including additional disabling means disablingsaid individual picture transporter in response to said relative reversesliding movement between frame and slider.
 6. The picture vieweraccording to claim 2 and the pressure means including a leaf springanchored on the enclosure means and applying such pressure on the pileof pictures, and the disabling control being operatively connected withthe leaf spring for withdrawing the leaf spring away from thecompartment and relieving the pressure applied to the pictures.
 7. Thepicture viewer according to claim 6 wherein said leaf spring is formedof metal material.
 8. The picture viewer according to claim 6 and theleaf spring and the disabling control having a binding frictionalrelationship therebetween to frictionally retain the leaf spring in itswithdrawn position relieving pressure from the picture.
 9. The pictureviewer according to claim 8 wherein the disabling control is mounted onthe frame and means on the slider for returning the disabling control torest position.
 10. The picture viewer according to claim 8 and anauxiliary spring to return the disabling control to rest position. 11.The picture viewer according to claim 8 wherein the leaf spring ispivotally mounted to turn about an axis perpendicular to the directionof sliding movement between frame and slider.
 12. The picture vieweraccording to claim 1 wherein the pile transporter includes a separatorbar traversing and obstructing said one side of the compartment toengage the side of the pile of pictures, said separator bar beingshiftable out of traversing and obstructing relation to one side of thecompartment, and said disabling control being connected with saidseparator bar to alternately move the separator bar out of obstructingrelation and returning the bar into obstructing relation at the side ofthe compartment to permit disabling of the pile transporter.
 13. Thepicture viewer according to claim 12 wherein the separator bar ispivotable out of and into traversing and obstructing relation to saidone side of the compartment, and said disabling control effectingswinging of the separator bar for disabling the pile transporter. 14.The picture viewer according to claim 1 wherein said individual picturetransporter has picture engaging means movable endwise of thecompartment to be withdrawn away from the compartment and the pile ofpictures therein, and said disabling means having connection with saidpicture engaging means for withdrawing the picture engaging means out ofengagement with a picture in the pile.
 15. The picture viewer accordingto claim 1 wherein said disabling control is slidable on the enclosuremeans between a rest position and a disabling position, the disablingmeans disabling said one transporter in the disabling position of thecontrol and permitting operation of the transporters for changingpictures in the rest position of said disabling control.
 16. The pictureviewer according to claim 1 and said disabling control being movablebetween rest position and disabling position, the disabling controlrendering the transporter inoperative in disabling position and allowingnormal operation of the transporter in said rest position, and meansresponsive to relative reverse sliding movement between frame and sliderand engaging the disabling control to return the disabling control fromdisabling position to rest position.
 17. The picture viewer according toclaim 1 wherein the frame embraces the slider and the slider has ahandle within the confining contours of the housing.
 18. The pictureviewer according to claim 17 and the frame defining a wall at the end ofthe compartment, the wall having a recess adjacent the slider handle andthe slider handle having a shape complementary to the contour of therecess.
 19. The picture viewer according to claim 18 wherein the handleis hollow and has a label carrier thereon.
 20. The picture vieweraccording to claim 18 and .[.the handle being.]. .Iadd.including pilehold down means .Iaddend.on the slider .[.but.]. .Iadd.and.Iaddend.movable with respect to the slider into .[.an.]. .Iadd.and.Iaddend.out of .Iadd.an .Iaddend.operating .[.condition.]..Iadd.position.Iaddend..
 21. Storing and viewing apparatus for a pile ofpictures, comprisinga shelving element having an open-ended housingcompartment, a picture viewer in one of said compartments and beingremovable therefrom, the picture viewer having enclosure means includinga frame defining a viewing window and a slider reciprocably mounted onthe frame, the frame and slider having relative obverse and reversesliding movements in opposite directions along the window, the enclosuremeans also defining a picture compartment having one end adjacent thewindow to contain a pile of pictures with a picture on one end of thepile disposed at said one end of the compartment and adjacent thewindow, a picture changing mechanism adjacent the picture compartmentfor removing an individual picture from one end of the pile andreturning the individual picture to the other end of the pile inresponse to said relative obverse and reverse sliding movements of theframe and slider to present a new picture at the window for display,said picture changing mechanism including a pile transporter and anindividual transporter, one of the transporters being connected with theframe and movable therewith and the other of the transporters beingconnected with the slider and movable therewith, the pile transporterbeing disposed at one side of the compartment to engage one side of thepile of pictures, the individual picture transporter being disposed atone end of the compartment to engage such an individual picture at thecorresponding end of the pile of pictures, and the individual picturetransporter including pressure means applying pressure on the pile ofpictures toward one end of the compartment, the transporters producingrelative movement of the pile of pictures and of the individual pictureduring changing of the picture at the window, disabling means includinga disabling control movably mounted on the enclosure means at theexterior thereof, said disabling control having connection with thepressure means for relieving the application of pressure against thepictures and rendering said individual picture transporter inoperativein response to movement of the disabling control at the exterior of theenclosure means, and said shelving element having operating meansengaging and moving the disabling control relative to the enclosuremeans during insertion of the picture viewer into the housingcompartment for disabling the picture-changing mechanism and relievingpressure from the pictures upon insertion of the viewer into thecompartment of the shelving element.
 22. The picture viewer according toclaim 21 and the individual picture transporter including pressure meanson the enclosure means and applying pressure to the pile of pictures inthe compartment, and said disabling control having connection with thepressure means of the individual picture transporter to relieve thepressure on the pictures and render the individual transporterinoperative in response to insertion of the viewer into the compartmentof the shelving element.
 23. The storing and viewing apparatus accordingto claim 21 and the enclosure means of the viewer being slidablelongitudinally into the housing compartment, the disabling control beingslidable longitudinally of the enclosure means for rendering the onetransporter inoperative, and stop means on the shelving element adjacentthe housing compartment and engaging the disabling control duringinsertion of the viewer to produce longitudinal sliding movement of thedisabling control during such insertion.